Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-24
MEETINGS IN MATHEWS.
The Methodtsfs-Church Dediea'
fiona word for the Farmers.

fCcrrespondence OF the Richmond Dispatcn.l
MATHEWS G. H., August %, 1887.
Religious mattersare just now largely
in the ascendant. Ours are ordinarily
a God-fearing, chnrch-going people {;
but since the commencement of the
Sunday School Convention of the Me-
thodist Episcopal Church, which was
held at their great pavilion, the eta
bernacle," our people, both white and
colored, seem to have devoted them
selves TO Gods work. The meeting at
the "Tabenacle continued ten days,
and some seventy or more penitents
resigned themselves to God. Rev. l..
A. Peterson, of East Mathews, who
stands deservedly high among our peo-
pie, delivered a stirring and effective
address on the work, objects, and ulti-
mate design OF the Sunday school.
He stated in the course OF his re-
marks that q great and hopeful change
in the diversions of the young had
been wrought by the potent agency OF
the Sunday school that when he was
boy cold Dan Tucker" "Jim Crack
Corn. &C., were the favorite airs with
the children of the land but these
vulgar, worldly songs had happily
given way to the chaste and beautiful
symphonies of the church choir and
the Sunday school.
The Methodist Episcopal Central
church was formally dedicated after
the adjournment OF the convention.
The ceremony was performed by the
Rev. DIR. Christian. who took for his
text "If We die, shall we live again?"
The discourse was eloquent and ex-
haustive, and was addressed mainl y to
the effort to show that the soul liveth
after the death Of the physical body.
He recited in glowing language the
thoughts which, during long life de-
voted to God, had addressed themselves
to bis own mind in regard to the inn
mortality of the soul.
This (CentraD church, the largest
end most imposing edifce in the coun-
ty, was crowded to its utmost ca
pacity.
The Rev. Mr.. Barnes began n pro
tracted meeting at the Second Baptist
church last Sunday. A meeting also
commenced at the "Old" Baptist
church yesterday.
The colored people who manifest
equal zeal IL religious matters are
having their second protracted meeting,
this time at their new church, Wayland,
in the Beaver Dams. The fruits OF these
meetings were baptized yesterday after
noon at the public landing on Pudding
creek.
Politics promise soon to be on a tear
again. A massmeeting of the Demo-
cratic party will be held at the court
house on September court-day to elect
delegates to district legislative CON
vention. Several gentlemen are promi-
nently mentioned in connection with
the nomination, but the prevailing
sentiment seems to be in favor of NOM
mating some one identified with the
people by the ties of interest, labor,
and pursuit. There is growing spirit
of rebellion among our people to being
longer represented in the halls of legis-
lation by that iniinitesimal portion of
our body polite the professional class.
The farmers are to day almost ignored
by the Government, for the reason that
tier interests have almost invariably
lccn coDfded to the representatives OF
other professions. If the farmers only
enjoyed the poor privilege OF being 1T !
alone tsey would be far more prosper
ous, hut the pGfCrHU O. Government |
lays It's heavy hand upon what they re-
coiye in exchange in a foreign market !
for their surplus products, and a tax is |
which robs them Of one third |
OF their labor. =. j. NJ